Allies unhappy with AL

Leaders of the 14-party alliance components yesterday expressed resentment at BNP-Jamaat men joining the ruling Awami League and demanded an explanation from the AL leadership about it.

They also blasted the AL for alleged irregularities in government recruitment and questioned the recent ban on three-wheelers on highways without consulting the stakeholders.

The leaders were in a meeting at the AL chief Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi office, with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal General Secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia in the chair.

Workers Party Politburo member Anisur Rahman Mollick, Gonotantri Party presidium member Nurur Rahman Selim, Communist Kendra Joint Convenor Wajedul Islam Khan, National Awami Party General Secretary Enamul Haque and Nurul Ambia made the complaints, said meeting sources. 

Anisur told the meeting that several hundred BNP-Jamaat men, who were accused in many cases including those for killing AL leaders, have been joining the AL over the last three months.

For example, he cited Krishak Dal leader Mokhlesur Rahman joined the ruling party in Rajshahi on July 2 in presence of Shahriar Alam, state minister for foreign affairs. Mokhlesur along with many other BNP-Jamaat men were accused of carrying out arson attacks ahead of the January 5 polls last year.

BNP leader Mahabubur Rahman has recently joined the AL. He was named in the first investigation report (FIR) in the murder case of Chhatra League leader ABM Mamun in Satkhira.

Mamun was hacked on February 28, 2013 when he was fleeing his home in Satkhira town after some BNP-Jamaat men set fire to it. Later on that day, he died of his wounds at a hospital.

Mahabubur is now the organising secretary of Agardari union unit AL in Satkhira Sadar upazila, said locals. Police didn't name him in the charge sheet of the murder case.

Anisur said Jamaat men are joining the ruling party at a time when people are demanding trial of the party for its alleged involvement in war crimes during the Liberation War.

Wajedul Islam Khan warned the AL that those who are joining it now might hatch conspiracies against the party.

According to media reports, several thousand grassroots leaders and activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have joined the AL in the last three months, apparently to get their names off “politically motivated cases” and avoid police harassment.

Speaking at the meeting, AL Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak said the AL had adopted a decision that it will not accept BNP-Jamaat men into the party. He assured the alliance leaders that his party would launch an inquiry to find out where and how the BNP-Jamaat men were joining the AL and identify the people behind such activities.

He, however, claimed that all the news run by media houses regarding the BNP-Jamaat men joining the AL was not true.

Anisur was critical about allegations of corruption in government recruitments. Referring to the ongoing recruitment of sub-inspectors in the police department, he said nobody gets a job nowadays without paying money. Sharif Nurul Ambia supported the views of Anisur, said meeting sources.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, 14-party spokesman Mohammad Nasim said there was no possibility of an interim election. “The next general election will be held in 2019 under the prime minister as per constitutional provisions.”

There is no international pressure on the government for holding polls, added Nasim, also the health minister.

The meeting chalked out three-day programmes, beginning on August 12, to mark the 40th death anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.